GOSPEL MEDITATION # 209

Mark 10:32-34

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

(also read Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53)

1. Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
6. Reread it. From memory, determine the central points.
7. For the third time now in Mark Jesus tells, maybe warns is a better term, His disciples what will happen to Him. It is now not long before the actual events will take place.
8. Jesus is aware of this for any number of reasons: one, His dying as a sacrifice had been noted by any number of O.T. prophets; two, His enemies could not allow Him to go on much longer; three, His arch enemy, Satan, had long been working in the background; four, Jesus reasoned the signs of the times properly.
9. The “chief priests” the “scribes” – likely reference to the Council of Israel, the Sanhedrin – who had the power to see to it the Romans would execute Him.
10. Jesus spelled out exactly what would happen to Him, just as it was stated by King David 1000 years earlier and by the prophet Isaiah some 770 years earlier: Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 are replete with the events.
11. The Gentiles – a wider grouping than merely the Romans at the time. Romans 3:23 expresses it more exactly: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The all is absolutely inclusive, both Jews and Gentiles.
12. We cannot fully grasp why the Son of God should be abandoned (Psalm 22:1) by God the Father, but to say that the Son must receive the righteousness judgment for our sin. He literally suffered and died in our place.

GOSPEL MEDITATION # 208

Mark 10:17-31

The Rich Young Man

1. Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer.
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Carefully read the passage of Scripture. Reread it.
6. From memory, determine the central points.
7. “Good Teacher” – “Good” is a term Jews used of God. Jesus wanted to know if the man was referring to Him as deity. Jesus continues not really expecting a reply. It may be assumed the phrase was intended to flatter Jesus.
8. Jesus lists seven of the 10 commandments from Exodus 20:1-17 leaving out the first three which are focused on the proper relationship toward God rather than the seven which have to do with proper action toward others.
9. Shockingly, the man claims to be keeping all of the seven.
10. Jesus looked at the man, loved him, and the word is agape in the aorist tense meaning an immediate concern for him, one which transcended temporal well being.
11. Jesus could see what the trouble was – the man wanted approval for his right acting and that was all. His religion taught him such made him fit for heaven.
12. Jesus’ reply cut to the heart of the matter; the pride of wealth and the accompanying power that provided. The man would not give it up. Eternity in the presence of God did not mean much to him.
13. “Follow me” would mean leaving all behind. Sadly, the man went away, retaining all his wealth and losing all he would ever have.
14. The eye of a needle, in Luke the needle of a surgeon, no possibility of getting through such, an example of Jesus’ hyperbole, makes the story memorable. “How difficult” and twice, the emphasis is clear.
15. Nothing a human can do is enough. God alone saves.

GOSPEL MEDITATION # 207

Mark 10:13-16

Let the Children Come to Me

(Read also Matthew 19:13-15 & Luke 18:15-17)

1. Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
6. Reread it. From memory, determine the central points.
7. Parents, and perhaps other relatives, were bring children to Jesus. Luke uses the word “infants” thus small kids and of all ages.
8. Was this a usual thing that children are brought to rabbis for a special prayer of blessing like Jacob blessed his sons as in Genesis 48?
9. Jesus’ disciples, for reasons that are not explained, attempt to prevent Jesus from being so disturbed.
10. Jesus sees it and is indignant, or angry, which is the literal meaning of the Greek word Mark uses. Again we are not told exactly why Jesus was not happy with what the disciples were doing. Notice, right in front of the crowds, Jesus expresses annoyance.
11. Jesus insists that the children have a legitimate right to be brought to him. With strong words Jesus said, “Do not hinder them.”
12. How it is that “such belong the kingdom of God” is not clarified for us. We can suppose that only those without power, or agenda, or strength, or knowledge, or platform, or righteous deeds – can receive or enter the kingdom.
13. We know from numbers of other passages that salvation is based upon grace and nothing to do with anything an individual is or has. Clearly, salvation is based on a gift and not upon works or knowledge.
14. Only the child-like enter the kingdom.